Dispensing device



June 21, 1955 H. c. ABRAHAMSEN 2,711,241

DISPENSING DEVICE Filed Nov. 17, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jun 21, 1955 H. c. ABRAHAMSEN DISPENSING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 17 1950 United, States DISPENSING DEVIGE Henry C. Abrahams'en, Evansville, Ind, assignor to In temational Harvester Clliniilil l'i .3 corporation of New Jersey p 1 Application November 17, 1950, Serial No; 196,330 .1 8 Claims (or. 93-3 1 This invention relates generally to a dispensing device and more particularly to a dispensing device which is adaptable for the storage of fragile articles.

In order to conserve space in household-refrigerators and to allow easier access to art-icles of foods, several types of racks or trays have been designed in which various arti cles of food may be stored. These racks are particularly adaptable for the storage of bottles, fruit and other articles of substantially uniform size. By providing a tray with sloping chutes, one above the other, the tray may be completely filled while it is still in place in the refrigerator. In this design the articles to be stored are inserted upon the front portion of thechute, from where they roll downwardly tothe rear portion of the top chute, then drop down to the rear portion of the bottom chute and roll downwardly to the front portion of the bottom chute.

The articles may be removed (singularly from the lower 7 chute, and as each article is removed, another a'rticlewill gravitate downwardly to dispensing position. If this type of tray is used for the storage of fragile articles, such as eggs, it is necessary to provide means for gently lowering the egg from the rear portion of the top chute to the rear portion of the bottom chute in order to prevent breakage of the egg. 4 i

An object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator with a dispensing device which may be loaded and unloaded while it remains in'position in the refrigeratorfi Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device which will position an article so that it may be conveniently grasped for removal. 1

Still another object is to provide a dispensing device for the storage of articles which will dispense articles singularly and simultaneously feed articles todispensingposition. a a

A further object of the invention is to'provide a dis.-

pensing device which .is adaptable forthe storage :of eggs and other fragile articles. a

A still further object .of the invention is 'to provide a dispensing device with sloping chutes arranged one above the other whereby articles placed on the-top chute will ravitate downwardly to the bottom chute; 11

A still further object is to provide a dispensing device,

having sloping chutes arranged one above the other, with with means for transporting articles from a top .chute to a lower chute. 1

A still further object is to provide ,a dispensing device with transporting means wherein a ,resiliemmem er partly balances the weight-ofanarticle being lowered from a top chute to a lower chute.

Further objects and advantages of-the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds and the features of novelty invention will be pointed outwith particularity in the claims annexted to and forming a part of the specification. v

For a better understanding of. thepresentvinvention, reference may be had totthe which:

which characterize this ac ompany-i s draw nssi tom opening 27 thro extending a short distance past front wall 21 and '5' is placed onto chute 25 through Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the top portion of a refrigerator in which the dispensing device is positioned. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the dispensing device with a portion 'ofthe outer casing cut away.

Fig. 3 is a side-elevational view of the dispensing device with a portion of the outer casing cut away.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a portion of the dispensing device with a portion of the outer casing cut away. a

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4.-

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of a front portion of the dispensing device.

Referring to Fig. 1 of'the drawings, the top portion of a refrigerator cabinet 10 is illustrated, which comprises an outer shell 11 and an inner shell 12 spaced therein. A storage compartment 13 is bordered by the walls of the inner liner 12 and a door 14 is provided for closing and sealing the compartment 13. In the upper portion of the compartment 13 is secured a U-shaped evaporator 14 through which a refrigerant is circulated. The evaporator 14 cools and maintains the compartment 13 at a predetermined temperature so that food stored therein will be properly preserved. Shelves 15 and 16 are secured within the compartment 13 on which articles of food may be stored.

Secureddo the top wall 17 of the inner liner '12 is a dispensing device indicated generally by reference numeral-18.. Thecasing for the dispensing device is rectangulars'haped and has side walls 19 and 20, front wall 21, back'wallu22,,and top wall'23. The top wall 23 is pro?- vided-with means (not shown) for attaching the dispensing device 18 to the top wall 17 of inner liner 12. In-the illustrated embodiment, the dispensing device'18 is shown secured to the top wall 17, but it is to be understood that the dispensing device could be secured to other portions of the refrigerator, such as shelf 15. A shallow 'V-shaped channel or chute 24.is secured to the bottom edgesof side walls 19 and 20 and is inclined downwardly from the rear wall 22-toward front wall 21. Above chute 24, asecond V shaped channel or chute 25 is secured to side walls .19 and '20 and'this chute is inclined downwardly from thefront walls 21 toward rear wall 22. Front wall 21 is provided with a top opening 26 through which articles can be inserted onto chute 25, and a botgh which articles are dispensed from chute 24.

Side wall 19' is provided with a substantially semicircular portion .28 which one edge of opening 27. Sidewall 20 is provided with an identical substantially semi-circular portion 29 which projects outwardly adjacent an opposite edgeof opening27; A dispenser is positioned between the portions 28 and 29 and pivotally secured thereto by pivot pins 31'. ;The dispenser is of cylindrical formation and has .eccentrically located end portions 32 which are secured to pivot pins 31. One side of the dispenser 30 1816111: away along top edge 33 and bottom edge 34 to allow articles to pass therein from. chute 24. Fig. 6 shows the dispenser inclosed position with top edge '33 bottom edge 34 disposed adjacent the front edge 24.

The :rearedge-35 of chute 25 is spaced inwardly from rear wall 22 a distance great enough to allow an article offood to pass therebetween. When an article of food opening 26, it will-roll down chute 25, drop over edge 35 onto chute 24, and then roll ,dpwn into dispenser 30. If the device is used for the s o a eof f agile art l s, such as eg the drop from chute 25 :to chute24wouldprobably damage the egg. Therefore, the present invention provides means for gently lowering an egg from chute 25 to chute 24.

A U-shaped carrier frame 36 is provided having parprojects outwardly adjacent allel legs 37 and 38 with bent-out end portions 39 and V 40 pivotally secured in holes or sockets 41 and 42 provided in side walls and 19 respectively. A connecting portion 43 joins the legs 37 and 38 to which a carrier platform 44 is pivotally secured by hinge 45. The carrier platform 44 is rectangular shaped. and fits between legs 37 and 38 with the front edge .46 extending .undervthe rear edge 35 of the chute 25. The carrier platform 44 is transversely V-shaped in order that it'will fit against chute 25. The hinge 45 is fixedly secured to carrier 44 by screws 48 and has a cylindrical portion which fits over connecting portion 43 of carrier frame 36 and may be rotated therearound. A carrier stop 49 is secured to rear wall 22 in the same plane as chute 25. The carrier stop 49 is rectangular shaped and extends over the hinge 45 V and prevents it from moving upwardly. An. egg'stop 50 is secured to the rear portion of the carrier platform 44. The egg stop 50 has a straight'portion 51 which is substantially perpendicular to carrier platform 44, an inclined portion 52 bent inwardly at a right angle to straight portion 51, and an end portion 53 bent upwardly at a right angle to straight portion 51, and an end portion 53 bent upwardly at a right angle to inclined portion 52. A coiled spring 54 is provided for holding the carrier platform against chute 25. One end of the spring 54 is fastened to a pin 55 which is secured to the side wall 19. The other end is fastened in a hole 56 located near an edge of carrier platform 44. a

When the dispensing device is not filled with eggs, the spring 54 pulls the carrier platform up to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 5 with the front edge 46 of the carrier platform 44 fitting under the rear edge 35 of chute and the hinge 45 abutting carrier stop 49. When it is desired to fill the device with eggs, the operator inserts eggs singularly into opening 26. The egg rolls down the inclined ramp 25 onto carrier platform 44 and stops against the straight portion 51 of egg stop 50. The weight of the egg is great enough to overcome the upward pull of spring 54, and the carrier platform begins to descend. The spring 54 is calibrated so that the moments of the forces acting on the platform 44 about the hinge 45 are equal whereby the carrier platform will remain in approximately a horizontal position as -it descends. will rotate in hinge 45 and be forced downwardly, and end portions 33 and 40 of legs 37 and 38 will rotate within the sockets 41 and 42 in side walls 20 and 19. As the downward motion progresses, the carrier platform 44 will pass between the legs 37 and 38 of carrier frame 36 until it reaches the bottom chute 24 as shownin Fig. 3. In this position the carrier platform 44 assumes the same angle of inclination as chute 24. The egg rolls off the carrier platform 44 and rolls down chute 24 into dispenser as shown in Fig. 6. As the egg rolls off of carrier platform 44, the spring pulls the carrier platform 44 and carrier frame 36 back to the position. as shown in Fig. 4.

Spring 54 is calibrated such that its pull will be overcome only slightly by the weight of the egg. With this design, the carrier platform 44 will descend slowly and there will be no jar when it contacts the lower chute 24, and the egg will not be damaged. As more eggs are inserted in opening 26, they will be transported to the lower chute 24 by the carrier platform 4'4 until the lower chute is filled and the last egg 47 transported will be prevented from rolling from the carrier platform 44 by the egg 58 in front thereof on chute 24 as shown in Fig. 3. With an egg remaining on carrier platform 44, the spring 54 will not return the carrier platform and it will remain adjacent chute 24. The egg stop 50 will be tilted slightly forward and end portion 53 will be positioned adjacent the rear edge of chute 25. As other eggs are inserted onto chute 25, they will roll down and be stopped by egg stop 50 and the chute 25 can then be completely filled with eggs. i

Connecting portion 43 of carrier frame 36 I To obtain an egg from the dispensing device, dispenser 30 is rotated by hand to the position shown in Fig.3. a

An egg 59 is held within the dispenser which may be easily grasped andremoved. Upon rotation of the dis:

penser, the bottom edge 34 of the dispenser travels upwardly between the front two eggs and prevents the remaining eggs on bottom chute 24 from rolling down wardly. After egg 59 'has been removed from the dispenser, the dispenser is rotated backto closed position.

As the bottom edge 34 of the dispenser returns to. its a lower position, it will no longer hold the eggs in positio'n on chute 24, and the eggswill roll down with the foremost one dropping into the dispenser. The egg which remained-on carrier platform 44 will roll off, and the carrier platform 44 will be pulled upwardly by spring 54 to contact chute 25 where another eg'g'will roll thereonto for transportation to lower chute. It appears that the end portion 53 of the egg stop 50 releases the next egg to roll onto the platform 44' before the spring 54 has completely moved the platform 44 to contact chute.25.

Thus the next egg begins to gain a momentum dependent upon its kenetic, energy of motion before the moving platform 44 and the contracting spring 54 have lost their momentums represented by their .kenetic energys of motion, and these momentums are such that the next egg reaches stop50 before any downward movement of a platform 44 again takes place. Once the next egg is against the. egg stop 50, the various forces are so equalized that the platform 44 descends in a substantially horizontal 1 plane. Thus, astheeggs are removed from dispenser 30, the remainder of the eggs, on the chutes 24 and 25 will roll. down to the dispenser until the supply of eggs on both chutes hasbeen exhausted. a

.A. dispensing device of thecharacter described provides a convenient'storage place for eggs and various other articles within a refrigerator. The device is positioned to allow easy access. to opening 26 and dispenser 30 so that itmay be easily loaded and unloaded. With the carriermeans illustrated, it is possible to transport fragile articles from an inclined chute to asecond inclined ramp spaced therebelow, thus allowing the storage of a large quantity of fragile articles in a compact dispensing device. As each article is removed from the dispensing device,.the' remainder will gravitate in sequence to. the point. ofremoval sothat those articles first inserted into the device will be the first ones to arrive at the point of removal.

While a preferred embodiment of the inventionhhas been set forth in detail, it is obvious that the invention is not to be limitedthereto, but that various changes and modifications may .be made therein as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art. The invention is tobe limited only in accordancewith the following claims when interpreted in view of the priorart.

What is claimed is:

l.- Adispensing device comprising a'casing, an inclined top chute secured. to said casing, an oppositely inclined bottom chute secured to said casing below said top chute,

a U-shaped frame having the legs thereof pivotally secured to said casing, a platform pivotally secured at one end thereofto the cross member of said U-shaped frame and between the legs thereof, and means for holdsaid means being overcome by the weight of an article on said platform which allows said'platform" to bodily descend until it lies in a plane parallel to said bottom v ing said platform in a plane parallel to said top chute,

means being overcome by the Weight of an article on said platform which allows said platform to bodily descend to a plane parallel to said bottom chute, and a stop member secured to said platform which positions an article on said platform, said stop member having a portion positioned adjacent said top chute when said platform is parallel to said bottom chute which prevents articles from rolling upon said platform.

3. A dispensing device comprising a casing, an inclined top chute secured to said casing, an oppositely inclined bottom chute secured to said casing below said top chute, a U-shaped frame having the ends of the legs thereof pivotally secured to said casing, a platform pivotally secured to the cross member portion of said frame, and resilient means for holding said platform in a plane parallel to said top chute, said resilient means being overcome by the weight of an article on said platform which results in said platform rotating with respect to said frame and said frame rotating with respect to said casing, said rotation allowing said platform to descend bodily to a plane parallel with said bottom chute.

4. A dispensing device comprising a casing, an inclined top chute secured to said casing, an oppositely inclined bottom chute secured to said casing below said top chute,

a U-shaped frame having the legs thereof pivotally 1 secured to said casing, a platform pivotally secured to the cross member of said frame, resilient means for holding said platform in a plane parallel to said top chute, said resilient means being overcome by the weight of an article on said platform which allows the platform to bodily descent to a plane parallel to said bottom chute, and a stop member secured to said platform which prevents articles from rolling from said top chute onto the platform while it is descending.

5. A dispensing device comprising a casing, an inclined top chute secured to said casing, an oppositely inclined bottom chute secured to said casing below said top chute, a U-shaped frame having the legs thereof pivotally secured to said casing, a platform having one end thereof pivotally secured to the cross member of said frame, and means for holding said platform in a plane parallel to said top chute, said means being overcome by the weight of an article on said platform which allows said platform to bodily descend until it lies in a plane parallel to said bottom chute, the moment of the forces acting on said platform being equal during its descent whereby it will not rotate in reference to said top chute until it contacts said bottom chute,

6. A dispensing device comprising a casing, an inclined top chute secured to said casing, an oppositely inclined bottom chute secured to said casing below said top chute, a U-shaped frame having the ends of the legs thereof pivotally secured to said casing, a platform having a rear portion pivotally secured to the cross member of said frame and a front edge disposed under said top chute, and resilient means having one end secured to said casing and the opposite end secured to said platform, said resilient means holding said platform against said top chute until an article rolls from said top chute upon said platform whereupon said resilient means is overcome by the weight of said article which allows said platform to bodily descend until it lies upon said bottom chute.

7. A dispensing device comprising a casing, a top chute and a bottom chute secured to said casing, a U-shaped frame having the ends of the legs thereof pivotally secured to said casing, a platform having a rear edge pivotally secured to the cross member of said frame and a front edge disposed under said top chute, stop means secured to said casing, and resilient means having one end secured to said casing and the opposite end secured to said platform, said resilient means holding said platform with said front edge contacting said top chute and said rear edge contacting said stop means, said resilient means being overcome by the weight of an article on said platform which allows said platform to bodily descend until it lies in a plane parallel to said bottom chute.

8. A dispensing device comprising a casing, a top chute and a bottom chute secured to said casing, a U-shaped frame having the legs thereof pivotally secured to said casing below said top chute, a platform having a rear edge pivotally secured to the cross member portion of said frame and between the legs of said U-shaped frame and a front edge disposed under said top chute,.and resilient means having one end secured to said casing and the opposite end secured to said platform,'said resilient means holding said platform against said top chute until an article rolls from said top chute upon said platform whereupon said resilient means is overcome by the Weight of said article which allows said platform to bodily descend through said opening until it lies upon said bottom chute.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 182,761 Kelly Oct. 3, 1876 342,433 Fischer May 25, 1886 353,572 Meyers Nov. 30, 1886 392,128 Meyers Oct. 30, 1888 514,948 Luster Feb. 20, 1894 571,389 Pancoast Nov. 17, 1896 1,008,429 Osmer Nov. 14, 1911 1,088,980 Goble Mar. 3, 1914 1,170,667 Peterson Feb. 8, 1916 2,150,469 Tozer et al. Mar. 14, 1939 2,244,430 Parsons et al June 3, 1941 2,338,714 Garner Jan. 11, 1944 2,376,682 Gerlich May 22, 1945 2,376,960 Clem May 29, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 489,277 Great Britain July 19, 1938 

